My Story

Zacualpa is a small but busy village in a mountain valley. The village is inhabited by both Quiché Mayans and Ladinos (those with mixed European ancestry). The prevalent language is Spanish. Families in this village live in one or two room homes generally constructed of either wood or adobe. Although many of the people are farmers, the village contains several small, specialized stores, a body repair shop for buses, mechanics, plumbers and many other small-town tradesmen. It also has a large open-air market which serves much of the area. Even with all of this, the poverty level is very high, and the children are very needy.

Hello! My name is Madelyn Arely Cuin Canil and my heart is full of joy to greet you through this letter. Before telling you a little bit about my life, I want you to know that my mother helped me to give all this information to a teacher of LW. I was born on September 26, 2015. I am in first grade and after school, I have fun playing with my dolls. My favorite color is purple, I love dogs, and my favorite dish is fried chicken. As for health, let me tell you that I suffer from gastritis. My mom has taken me to the health center and receive medicines, but I have not felt better. My father’s name is Mario Cuin Rosales. He works hard by digging river sand to support our family. He also has gastritis and does not take medicine. Therefore, I would like to count on your prayers for our health. My mother’s name is Isabel Canil Cuin. She also does her best to help with her income at home. She works two hours a day as a domestic employee. After working, she dedicates her full time to my oldest sister and me. I only have one sister but no brothers.

At the moment, my family and I do not attend any church. We live with my paternal grandfather in his house. His house has one room and a separate kitchen. The walls and roofs are made of tin sheets with dirt floors. Fortunately, there is a nearby river where we get water. We share the electricity and the payment for that service with a neighbor. We raise some hens at home. My parents would wish to have a new room and buy tin sheets to fix our kitchen. We pray the Almighty helps us. I also would love to count on your prayers for our projects. Our greatest need is groceries. I attend the feeding program in Zacualpa. My sister and I usually walk for 15 minutes from our house to get there. This is all for now about my life, but I would love to hear from you soon. See you later!

With much love,

Madelyn Arely Cuin Canil

Translated by: Hillary Popol / AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala